View source for Sheep Mountain (Beaverhead County, Montana)

{{Short description|Mountain in the state of Montana}}
{{Infobox mountain
| name = Sheep Mountain
| photo = Sheep Mountain Winter's Grip.jpg
| photo_caption = North aspect in winter
| elevation_ft = 9688
| elevation_ref =<ref name=pb>{{cite peakbagger|pid=5000|name=Sheep Mountain, Montana|access-date=May 27, 2023}}</ref><ref name="listsofjohn"/>
| prominence_ft = 548
| prominence_ref =<ref name="listsofjohn">{{cite web|url=https://listsofjohn.com/peak/25148|title=Sheep Mountain – 9,688' MT|website=listsofjohn.com|access-date=May 27, 2023}}</ref>
| isolation_mi = 2.69
| isolation_ref =<ref name="listsofjohn"/>
| parent_peak = [[Taylor Mountain (Idaho/Montana)|Taylor Mountain]] (9,863 ft)<ref name="listsofjohn"/>
| map = Montana#USA
| map_caption = Location in Montana
| map_size = 270
| label_position = top
| country = United States
| state = [[Montana]]
| region = [[Beaverhead County, Montana|Beaverhead]]
| region_type = County
| part_type = Protected&nbsp;area | part =
| range = [[Rocky Mountains]]<br />[[Bitterroot Range]]<br />[[Centennial Mountains]]<ref name=pb/>
| coordinates = {{coord|44.5756269|N|111.7337107|W|type:mountain_region:US-MT_scale:100000_source:gnis|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_ref =<ref name="gnis">{{cite gnis|id=790353|name=Sheep Mountain|access-date=May 27, 2023}}</ref>
| topo = [[United States Geological Survey|USGS]] ''Upper Red Rock Lake''
| rock =
| age =
| first_ascent =
| easiest_route =
}}
'''Sheep Mountain''' is a {{convert|9688|ft|m|adj=mid|elevation}} mountain [[summit]] in [[Beaverhead County, Montana|Beaverhead County]], Montana, United States.
==Description==
Sheep Mountain is the seventh-highest peak in the [[Centennial Mountains]] which are a subrange of the [[Bitterroot Range]].<ref name=pb/> It is located immediately south of [[Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge]] and {{convert|2.69|mi|km}} west-northwest of [[line parent]] [[Taylor Mountain (Idaho/Montana)|Taylor Mountain]].<ref name=pb/> The summit is less than two miles from the [[Continental Divide of the Americas|Continental Divide]] and the Idaho–Montana border. Precipitation [[Surface runoff|runoff]] from the mountain's slopes drains to the Red Rock Lakes and [[topographic relief]] is significant as the summit rises {{convert|3050|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}} above Upper Red Rock Lake in 1.2 mile (1.9 km). This landform's toponym has been officially adopted by the [[United States Board on Geographic Names]].<ref name="gnis"/>
==Climate==
Based on the [[Köppen climate classification]], Sheep Mountain is located in a [[subarctic climate]] zone characterized by long, usually very cold winters, and mild summers.<ref name=Peel>{{cite journal | author = Peel, M. C. |author2=Finlayson, B. L. |author3=McMahon, T. A. | year = 2007 | title = Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification | journal = Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. | volume = 11 | pages = 1633–1644 | issn = 1027-5606}}</ref> Winter temperatures can drop below −10&nbsp;°F with wind chill factors below −30&nbsp;°F.
==See also==
* [[Geology of the Rocky Mountains]]
==Gallery==
<div style="max-width: 470px;">
<gallery mode=slideshow>
File:October Dusting of Sheep Mountain.jpg|Sheep Mountain from the northeast. 9593' (left), 9688' (far right)
File:Sheep Mountain.jpg|Elk Springs Creek trickles along through the willows in winter at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge with Sheep Mountain in the background.
File:Frozen Range.jpg|Taylor Mountain (left) and Sheep Mountain (right) from frozen Widgeon Pond at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge
File:Taylor and Sheep.jpg|Taylor Mountain (left) and Sheep Mountain (right)
</gallery>
</div>
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Portal bar|Geography|Mountains|Montana|Idaho}}
[[Category:Bitterroot Range]]
[[Category:Mountains of Montana]]
[[Category:Mountains of Beaverhead County, Montana]]
[[Category:North American 2000 m summits]]